Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) belong to the family Mustelidae; their relatives include weasels, rnink and otters. The ferret is suspected to have originated from the European polecat (Mustela putorius) or steppe polecat (Mustela eversmannii). They were probably domesticated for rodent and rabbit control over 1900 years ago. In the US, the ferret is used primarily as a companion animal. Regulations on ferret ownership are controversial. In some states and cities ferret ownership is illegal, and a license is required in others.
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